TRUE STORY

GRADE:A
Starring Jonah Hill, James Franco, Felicity Jones
Screenplay by Rupert Goold and David Kajganich
Based on the memoir by Michael Finkel
Directed by Rupert Goold
Rated R (violence, profanity, disturbing images)

 It's understandable if you hear about a new movie starring Jonah Hill and James Franco and assume it's a stoner comedy,  but True Story is decidedly not. It's a thoughtful, serious drama that actually doesn't even feature a single strong moment of comic relief. And while it's likely to be too talky and slow-moving for some audiences, those who enjoy low-key character drama will likely find themselves pulled in to its compelling narrative (yes, it really is a true story, and stays close to the facts of the case).

Hill plays Mike Finkel, a journalist for The New York Times who loses his job for fabricating a story about African slave trafficking (he takes the stories of multiple victims and attributes them all to one person). After his disgrace, Finkel learns of an accused murderer named Christian Longo (Franco) who used Finkel's identity as an aliaswhile evading capture. Intrigued, Finkel arranges a meeting with Longo.

Finkel and Longo (who is accused of killing his wife and three young children) develop a strange bond over a series of interviews, which leads to a book deal for Finkel, and in exchange Finkel helps Longo develop his writing skills. Finkel is intrigued by the quiet, likable Longo, and begins to question what really happened. Meanwhile, Finkel's wife Jill (The Theory of Everything's Felicity Jones, who seems as though she is wasted here until her final scene) becomes more and more unsettled by the closeness between her husband and the alleged killer.

Jonah Hill continues to demonstrate that he is a real actor, not just a comic fat guy. His work here is restrained and natural, and he's genuinely compelling. James Franco is charming and alternately touching, enigmatic and chilling as Longo, even using the aloof, shrugging detachment that sometimes drags down his work as an effective character choice. This may be the best performance his given since his Oscar-nominated turn in 127 Hours. Director Goold allows things to movie slowly, but doesn't let the pace become slack, and while is his visual style may not be especially flashy or memorable, he avoids the equal and opposite mistakes of letting a talking, character driven piece become too stagey or letting his camera work become a distraction from the drama.  He has crafted a compelling and disturbing film that's a welcome reprieve from all of the car chases and low comedy currently crowding the multiplexes.

True Story is rated R for some very disturbing, violent images related to the murder of Longo's family, and the requisite harsh language.